What Are the Most Common Problems That Affect Children's Feet?

While it is true many of the foot conditions that affect adults, several of them such as plantar warts, flat feet, ingrown toenails and heel pain are seen in children as well. They also occur more frequently or with different characteristics than in adults. In fact, children are more likely to suffer from these conditions or be injured due to:

• Children's feet have a greater range of motion and looser joints.

• Muscles and ligaments are still developing.

• Incorrect balance and posture.

• High levels of activity.

All of this contributes to foot and ankle injuries along with conditions that your little one can suffer from. Some of the more common ones that you should be aware of are:

• Flat Feet or Flexible Flat Foot: The foot should normally have a slight arch in the middle when placing it on a flat surface. This arch normally forms during childhood, around the age of 2 to 3 years. However, this arch does not develop sometimes, causing a flat feet condition.

  Flat foot is a condition that affects 54% of 3-year-old toddlers and 24% of 6-year-old children. This developmental problem usually goes unnoticed as it’s a condition that is in most cases painless and asymptomatic. It will only be a problem when your child presents heel pain and leg cramps when walking. A child with flat feet should limit their physical activity as the condition makes them vulnerable to foot and ankle injuries.

• Heel pain: Characterized by tenderness or pain sensation in the back of the foot or ankle. It is presented by children who participate in rigorous activities, sports or competitions. The pain can be caused by repetitive stress or overuse, which can be relieved by applying cold to the area and resting. However, when pain persists, it may be due to an underlying foot or ankle injury or condition, which can become complicated if left untreated. Orthotics or devices in your childs shoe, thoughtfully designed and created by your podiatrist, may help with aligning the feet for better mechanics and help with pain. If the pain persists and is not treated, it may be due to the following conditions:

  • Sever's disease.

  • Achilles tendonitis.

  • Plantar fasciitis.

  • Bone fracture.

• Ankle Sprain: It’s an injury that occurs when the ankle turns or twists in the opposite direction. This movement can strain the ligaments by stretching them beyond normal or worse, sustain partial or complete tears. Ankle sprains usually heal after 2 or 3 days by applying cold to the area and resting. However, if the pain and inflammation persist, it is important that you consult a doctor, as there is a possibility that the injury might be greater.

• Plantar Warts: These are small, non-cancerous bumps that grow on the top layer of the skin because of a virus. Plantar warts commonly develop in areas of the foot that are weight-bearing or under a lot of pressure. Normally, warts are harmless and painless, but they are uncomfortable to walk on. Treatments are available the same day at our office and for little ones who are nervous about procedures we have Pronox or Nitrous oxide options to make child’s treatment more comfortable.

• Developmental Conditions: Another common condition in pediatric feet are abnormalities or deformities due to an underdeveloped musculosketal system. Some of these conditions are:

  • In-toeing or pigeon toes: when standing or walking, one or both feet turning inward.

  • Out-toeing: when walking feet turned outward.

  • Toe walking: when the child walks on the ball of the feet without using their heels.

  Fortunately, many of these conditions resolve on their own as a child's foot grows and develops. Although there are some children who have severe deformity that will not be able to normalize without adequate support and realignment using corrective devices by a podiatrist. To protect your child’s tiny growing bones in a healthy way, supportive devices and orthotics may be a safe way to train your child’s gait and walking pattern.

• Ingrown toenails: Their most common cause is the rapid growth of the child, as this often causes their shoes to squeeze and crowd the toes together in the front. Flat footed children or those who tend to walk on the inside of their feet will be more prone to ingrown toenails. Having your child’s gait and foot structure assessed by a podiatrist in order to be fitted for realignment devices and orthotics may help with slowing down the progression of ingrown nails and lessen the recurrence of ingrown toe nails. Another cause is cutting the toenails very short, rounding off toenails edges or simply having suffered a blow that has caused trauma to the foot.

  We at Arizona Foot & Wound Specialists specialize in pediatric ingrown toenails. If patients are nervous about procedures, especially children, we have Pronox or supplemental nitrous oxide that can be applied onto the procedure to ease anxiety in children during injection and during times of the procedure. Contact us if your kid may have any of these issues for more information.